Del Rio News Herald

Seven Democrats seeking their party’s nomination as candidates for two county justice of the peace positions faced voters during a candidate forum Friday night.

The candidate forum was held at the Kennedy Room in the Del Rio Civic Center and hosted by the Val Verde County Democratic Party.

Event organizers originally told the Del Rio News-Herald each candidate would be given three minutes to make a statement, but each candidate was actually allowed a total of six minutes to speak.

The Del Rio News-Herald will only publish a transcription of the first three minutes of the candidates’ presentation in fairness to Republican Party candidates who participated in a similar forum for their party earlier this month.

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3

Rebekah “Becky” Luna-Chavez

“Thank you and good evening, everyone. I am Becky Luna-Chavez. I was born and raised here in Del Rio. I am a proud graduate of San Felipe High School. My husband and I are the proud parents of three children, three adult children, and we’re excited also, because we have three beautiful grandchildren and one more that’s on the way. So, we’re looking forward to that happy event.

I’m a graduate of Texas A&M University in Kingsville. I received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education with a specialization in English. My certifications include special education, endorsement in ESL and bilingual education.

I went on to receive a master’s degree in school administration from Sul Ross State University. I worked in different school districts in Texas and taught just about every grade level, to include working with mentally challenged students.

As an administrator, I served as assistant principal in the elementary level in secondary eighth grade campus and also assisted at the alternative center. During my two summer sessions, I acted as principal in two different schools here in Del Rio.

So that my husband could pursue his career, which is dental studies, we relocated to Monterrey, Mexico, where I spent four years working at the American Foundation School in Monterrey, Mexico. This school grade levels starts with kindergarten through twelfth grade, and it’s accredited by TEA. That was a very different, but rewarding, experience.

My 30 years working with fellow teachers, administrators, students and parents were many times challenging, but working with many different personalities gives you a perspective that every person is an individual, and even though we think differently, we all have a gift, and that is a talent of our own.

I also attended the Del Rio Citizens’ Police and the Border Patrol Citizens’ Academy. These were night classes, which included acting out scenarios of peoples breaking the law and practicing at the shooting range and riding with officers to experience a night of patrol.

I have served in the Plumbing Board of Appeals and also on the Planning and Zoning Commission. I’m a Texas Realtor and a member of the board of directors. My husband and I also own Luna Realty.

I feel fully qualified to run for the position of justice of the peace Precinct 3 because the greatest experience in life is people helping people, listening carefully, understanding where they are coming from and making a fair and balanced judgment that helps improve the lives of those individuals and the community. Therefore, I feel that that is one of the most important things that we have to look at. Thank you.”

•

Deborah Darden

“Good evening. Well, there’s a lot of seasoned speakers here tonight, and that is nervous for me. My name is Deborah Darden and I am running for justice of the peace Precinct 3. I moved here from Minnesota to Del Rio 16 years ago. I moved here to marry my husband. I am a single mother at this time, not to any one’s mistake. I’m a mother of two: My daughter’s 31 years old. She lives in Minnesota. My son is 13 and he is an eighth grade student in the Del Rio public school system.

I’m a graduate of communications arts. I’m a former successful gallery owner. I had an arts supply, a studio and provided art classes for children and adults.

My qualifications, work experience and special training would be as follows: I’ve worked as a legal assistant for the past eight years for the law offices of Jan London. Mrs. London, as her legal assistant, I have had hands-on experience with pleadings, research, trials, statutes, the intricacies of law and procedures.

The reason I am seeking this office is simple. As a legal assistant, running for this position is a natural progression for me. I feel this community deserves a justice that is dedicated to the county. I realize that an efficient, an effectively-run justice office is essential to our community.

This position requires a full-time commitment to insure that the people of Val Verde County are served and protected.”

•

Santiago Hyslop

“First, I want to thank everybody for coming. I want to thank my wife and my kids for supporting me and my friends. Diana Salgado, thank you for doing this.

My name is Santiago Hyslop. I was born in (garbled), Chihuahua. I’ve been here for about 28 years. I went to Del Rio High School here and from here I went to Texas TSTI College and had a certificate in agriculture.

I am running for the justice of the peace of Precinct 3 because we need a full-time justice. It’s been said before, and I promise I will work hard with the school district and provide my support and build programs for the problem kids that we have, either drug use or whatever. We need to have programs in place, not just let ’em go so they could have a better future.

Nowadays, you need at least a high school diploma to get any job, so we need to take care of our kids, and make sure they stay in school. One of the proposals is to create a program that you would involve the parents and the students and with that you can make the parent and the student responsible so they show up to school and they can graduate. Thank you.”

•

Raymond Meza

“Good evening, and I also would like to express my sincere appreciation to Mrs. Salgado and Mr. Salgado. I know you do just as much work; I saw him working earlier, and also a sincere appreciation to retiring Judge Brockwell for serving our community for so many years.

My name is Raymond Meza. I was born and raised in Del Rio. I graduated from Del Rio High School. I attended Sul Ross State University, received my bachelor of science degree in elementary education, got my master’s in secondary education and my mid-management in school administration.

Early on in my years, I learned from my family that you need to be involved in the community. I was a member of the San Felipe Lions Club, served as president, as zone chairman, region chairman, Area West chairman, as director of the Texas Lions Camp, as human needs board president. After that I was elected to the board of directors for the Val Verde Regional Medical Center. I gave up my position when I was elected to the school board and I am currently serving as president of the school board.

I am married. My lovely wife is here, Berta Meza, she is a nurse-practitioner at Vista Verde Medical Center, and I want her to be my campaign manager, but she’s very busy. And I also think Mrs. Rodriguez (wife of U.S. Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez) needs to run for office.

I want to tell you that serving in so many capacities, you learn to mediate disputes, and I believe I possess good judgment, and skills necessary to listen objectively and to resolve conflicts. When you are a leader of a school that has a 1,600-student enrollment and 150 adults, teachers and auxiliary staff, you have to mediate disputes.

And I want to tell you that one of the reasons I’m running for JP is because I believe that a well-educated population makes for a safer community. There certainly needs to be a system in place where we can recuperate these students that do drop out.

Texas ranks 43rd in the graduation rate and I think these students need to be given a chance to come back. We have necessary tools on hand to be able to know who they are. I think all of us have seen Julian Castro and some of the other people in San Antonio, for example, knock on doors and try to get these students back.

I certainly would want for you to assist me in becoming your justice of the peace for Precinct 3 and I think this can become a reality when we can certainly have a better graduation rate than what we have now.

We have a cool heart group at freshman school with 800 students, and we graduate less than 500. Thank you.”

•

Al Padilla

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Al Padilla. I was born here in Del Rio. I attended the San Felipe and Del Rio Independent School Districts, graduated from San Felipe High in 1965. I graduated in 1965, and I married my high school sweetheart, Cecilia Castellanos. We’ve been married for 45 years, have three children, Melinda Costilla is a ninth-grade algebra teacher. Melissa Limon is a registered nurse at San Felipe Memorial School, and my youngest daughter, Melanie G., is a physical education coach at Garfield Elementary. Between them we have seven grandchildren.

I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration. I am a licensed realtor, and I am an arbitrator for the State of Texas Comptroller’s Office, dealing in property tax disputes. My experience as an arbitrator has been in presiding over and settling cases concerning tax disputes. These arbitrator determinations are binding, as set forth by House Bill 182 and Senate Bill 1351

I received my arbitrator training from the American Arbitrators Association and the Texas Association of Realtors. As a businessman, having retired after working for 30 years for a major retailer and managing a multi-million-dollar operations with over 325 employees, I acquired a tremendous knowledge of organizational and communication skills and a deep understanding of sound judgment and decisionmaking.

I acquired experience at problem-solving in a multiple of situations and learned how to be a good listener and how to value and respect suggestions and ideas from others. Having the experience, having the leadership skills, the capacity, the resilience and the stamina to handle the daily workload that comes with this job. My fellow citizens, I am seeking the office of justice of the peace, Precinct 3 because I have a desire to serve and I want to make a difference.”

•

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4

Aaron Rodriguez

“First of all, I would like to thank the Democratic Party of Val Verde County for hosting this forum. Secondly, I’d like to thank Diana and Jesse Salgado for their tireless efforts for the Democratic Party here in Val Verde County and the state as well, and to our moderator, Mr. Garza.

My name is Aaron D. Rodriguez and I am currently the justice of the peace for Precinct 4 here in Val Verde County. My roots run deep in Del Rio, dating back to my great-grandfather, Dr. Simon Rodriguez, one of the first Hispanic doctors here in Del Rio.

I am a product of the school system here, graduating from high school at the age of 16 years old. I completed my bachelor’s of science in criminal justice at the age of 20 and my master of arts in political science, with a minor in public administration, at the age of 22 from Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas.

I had the distinct opportunity while doing my educational career, to work, or rather, intern, with the Webb County District Attorney’s Office in Laredo.

I’m a proud member of the San Felipe Lions Club and chamber of commerce, and I also have the distinct opportunity to teach government at the junior college.

My parents are Marta and Raymundo Rodriguez. My grandparents are Raymundo Rodriguez and Esther Rodriguez, the late Raymundo and Esther Rodriguez and Hugo and Nona Trevino.

The office of the justice of the peace is a demanding office that requires specialized training in several fields. As Mr. Garza said, we do have civil trials, we do have inquests, we have administrative hearings, we have several hearings and we wear several hats at one point.

We must be able to learn and comprehend civil and criminal procedures. My education, my formal education, from my schooling and experience in my tenure as justice of the peace have given me the required patience and knowledge to apply the letter of the law as it should be applied and to be able to justify my judgments while on this job.

During my time in office, I have attended several state-mandated educational courses along with several voluntary educational opportunities. These courses have ranged from evictions to juvenile law to civil law to criminal law. My love for learning has not stopped, and with a position such as this, you learn something new every day.

Today, I ask for your support and your vote in the upcoming elections and I can assure you that we will continue to be fair, unbiased, impartial and equal with every person that comes into our office.”

•

James Fernandez

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor and a privilege to be with you here this evening. I would like this opportunity first of all to thank the people responsible for organizing this event and allowing us to express our views to you the public. Diana, Robert, thank you.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is James Fernandez, and I’m a candidate for justice of the peace Precinct 4. I am the proud son of Jesus Fernandez and the late Felicitas Fernandez. I was born and raised in Del Rio. I am a lifelong resident of Precinct 4, over half a century. I am no stranger to this precinct. My roots are deeply-rooted in this precinct. I attended our public schools and after graduation, I continued my education at Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde and later attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas.

I am a family man and a single parent for 24 years, and I have raised four children in this community: James Jr., who attended The University of Texas at San Antonio; Maria Gloria, whom is a graduate of The University of Texas in Austin; and Christina Alejandra, who is also a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin; and Ralph Anthony, currently attending Southwest Texas Junior College.

I worked for almost 30 years in the automotive industry, in all aspects of the business. In addition to this experience, I was very fortunate to have been elected to serve my community as a board of trustee for the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District.

As a trustee, I received over 300 hours of specific training in the instruction, budget, local and state policies and conflict resolution training, which resolves conflicts.

As a lifelong resident of Precinct 4, I have always had an interest in public service. Something I learned at a very young age, that my father instilled in all of us, that if you want to better your community, you must get involved.

As stated earlier, with my public service and experience as a board of trustee, this will be valuable in fulfilling the duties of justice of the peace. With the extensive training in conflict resolution, it will enable me to resolve conflicts or disputes that may come before my court.

The justice of the peace in the state of Texas are governed under our Texas Constitution. Section 19 of Article 5 of that Constitution provides ‘justice of the peace courts have original jurisdiction in criminal matters of misdemeanor cases punishable by fine only.’

I am ready and eager, but unfortunately, I must be elected first.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, and more importantly, you the voting public of Precinct 4, I, James Fernandez am ready and perfectly capable of performing the duties of justice of the peace Precinct 4. I am humbly ask you to allow me this opportunity because you and only you, the residents of Precinct 4, can make this decision. I thank you for your vote of confidence. Thank you and God bless you all.”

Share | Save | Mail | Print

Serving Del Rio and Val Verde County since 1929

Publisher: Joe San Miguel

2205 North Bedell Avenue
Del Rio, Texas 78840

Tel: 830-775-1551 | Email

A Southern Newspapers publication.